A Semiconductor Membrane External-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser (MECSEL) in a Microchip Configuration

In this work, we demonstrate the first membrane external-cavity surface-emitting laser (MECSEL) in a microchip configuration (μ-MECSEL). Combining the concept of a MECSEL [1] with a microchip approach [2] leads to an alignment free, compact and efficient device. A semiconductor membrane incorporating InGaAs quantum wells in a GaAs barrier with GaAsP strain-compensation layers is fusion bonded between two SiC heat spreaders. The outer facets of these heat spreaders are coated with dielectric mirrors, one transparent for the pump and highly reflective for the laser wavelength, the other acting as an out-coupling mirror with a reflectivity of 97% for the laser wavelength. Fig. 1(a) and (b) show a top and side view of the chip, respectively. A schematic drawing of the setup can be seen in Fig. 1(c).